U.S. State Beehive & Apiary Law — Beekeeper Reference Guide

Reference only — not legal advice. Requirements, fees, and deadlines change; always confirm current rules with the official state source (linked per state) before you act. Local city/county ordinances may add requirements on top of state law.

Information current as of 2026-07-24.

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Alabama

Alabama requires beekeepers to register: every person keeping bees must register all colonies, bee yards, and apiaries with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries annually (by October 1), paying a registration/inspection fee scaled to colony count. Administered by the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries, Apiary Protection Unit.
- Official: Apiary Protection Unit — Alabama Dept. of Agriculture & Industries

Alaska

Alaska requires registration: beekeepers must register hive/colony numbers and locations with the Division of Agriculture (Dept. of Natural Resources) under state statute/regulation (AS 03.47.030; 11 AAC 35.010–35.020), mainly to track disease/pest risk. No fee identified.
- Official: Division of Agriculture — Inspection/Apiary program

Arizona

Arizona has no general state-level apiary/beekeeper registration requirement (deregulated in 1994). The main statutory obligation is a notification rule: before siting an apiary, a beekeeper must get the landowner's permission and give written notice (contact info, hive location, dates) to adjacent commercial agriculture operators; skipping this limits recourse if pesticide drift kills the bees. Some cities (e.g., Tucson) impose their own local registration.
- Official: Arizona Revised Statutes § 3-367.02 — Beekeeper notification

Arkansas

Arkansas requires registration: anyone owning or possessing bees must register bee-yard locations with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, State Plant Board, Apiary Section — within 10 days of acquiring bees, or before moving bees into the state. No registration fee; registrants get free inspection.
- Official: Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture — Apiary

California

California requires apiary registration for every beekeeper, administered by county Agricultural Commissioners in coordination with CDFA. As of January 1, 2026, a state assessment fee of $0.15 per colony applies (hobbyists with 9 or fewer colonies may request a county fee waiver). Registration and colony-location updates go through the statewide BeeWhere system.
- Official: CDFA — Apiary Protection Program — registration: BeeWhere California

Colorado

Colorado has no state-level registration requirement — the state eliminated its beekeeper registration/fee program in 1990 and is one of the few states without mandatory apiary registration; the Dept. of Agriculture no longer performs routine inspections or issues export certificates. Some municipalities require their own local permits.
- Official: Colorado Dept. of Agriculture — Apiary Program

Connecticut

Connecticut requires registration: anyone owning one or more hives must register annually (by October 1) with the State Entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). No fee; failure to register can carry a small statutory fine (up to $25).
- Official: CAES — Laws Pertaining to Honey Bees in Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware requires registration: all beekeepers, regardless of colony count, must register apiary locations annually (by January 30) with the State Apiarist at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, or within 10 days of acquiring bees later in the year. Noncompliance carries a civil penalty of $100–$1,000 per count.
- Official: Delaware Dept. of Agriculture — Honeybees

Florida

Florida requires registration: every beekeeper, including a hobbyist with a single hive, must register with FDACS, undergo an inspection, and renew the certificate annually. Fees are tiered by colony count (roughly $10 for 1–5 colonies up to $100 for 501+), and the registration number must be displayed on each hive.
- Official: FDACS — Beekeeper Registration

Georgia

Georgia does not require hobbyist beekeepers to register or be licensed by the state — licensing (with a stated $25 fee) applies specifically to commercial sellers of bees, queens, and nucs. The Dept. of Agriculture will do courtesy inspections for hobbyists on request; check local zoning for any city/county rules.
- Official: Georgia Dept. of Agriculture — Apiary Program (Honeybees)

Hawaii

Hawaii's beekeeper registration is voluntary — the Dept. of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) Apiary Program lets beekeepers register so the state can track the industry, but there's no legal mandate for hobbyists. Per HRS §142-100, registration is valid for one year and renews annually; commercial queen breeders face separate mandatory quarterly inspections and export shipment certificates. No fee indicated.
- Official: Hawaiʻi Apiary Program — Dept. of Agriculture and Biosecurity

Idaho

Idaho requires registration only for commercial beekeepers with more than 50 colonies, who must register with the Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture (ISDA) and pay a registration fee plus a small per-colony honey advertising tax; hobbyists under 50 colonies aren't required to register, though it's recommended. Under Idaho Code Title 22, Ch. 25.
- Official: Apiary Program — Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture

Illinois

Illinois requires every beekeeper, regardless of colony count, to register their apiary with the Illinois Dept. of Agriculture (IDOA) under the Bees and Apiaries Act. Renew each November, no fee; unregistered colonies can legally be declared a nuisance. IDOA provides free disease/pest inspections.
- Official: Bees and Apiaries — Illinois Dept. of Agriculture

Indiana

Indiana requires annual apiary registration and periodic inspection for commercial beekeeping operations; registration is not legally required for hobbyist/non-commercial beekeepers, though it helps the DNR's Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology track hives for disease monitoring.
- Official: Apiary News & Information — Indiana DNR, Division of Entomology

Iowa

Iowa requires beekeepers to register apiary/hive locations annually with the Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), via the BeeCheck/FieldWatch online registry — mainly so pesticide applicators avoid spraying near registered hives. Expires December 31 each year. Governed by the "Bee Rule."
- Official: Apiary — Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Kansas

Kansas has no statewide beekeeper/apiary registration requirement. Some individual cities (e.g., Ottawa, Newton) have their own municipal beekeeping ordinances, so check local rules.
- Official: Kansas Dept. of Agriculture

Kentucky

Kentucky law (KRS Chapter 252) authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to require reporting and set registration fees, administered by the KDA State Apiarist. In practice, KDA's main beekeeper tool is the voluntary Pollinator Protection registry (opt-in map connecting beekeepers with pesticide applicators). Confirm any additional mandatory reporting with KDA.
- Official: State Apiarist / Honey Bees — Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture

Louisiana

Louisiana requires every beekeeper — commercial or hobbyist — to register/permit their colonies and apiary locations with the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). Permits renew annually and expire September 30, with fees scaled by colony count (lower rate for residents). Inspections may be required before selling queens/packages/used equipment or moving colonies across state lines.
- Official: Bees & Beekeeping — Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry

Maine

Maine requires anyone keeping honeybees to obtain an apiary license from the Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry (DACF), regardless of hive count. A fee schedule applies, on an annual season cycle. Under Title 7 MRSA §2701.
- Official: Apiary Program — Maine DACF

Maryland

Maryland requires everyone who keeps honeybee colonies to register with the Maryland Dept. of Agriculture (MDA) within 30 days of first acquiring bees, and annually thereafter (on or before Jan. 1). No fee. MDA inspects roughly two-thirds of the state's ~2,300 registered apiaries each year.
- Official: Apiary Inspection — Maryland Dept. of Agriculture

Massachusetts

Apiary/colony registration is voluntary (not required by law), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Apiary Program. Free; mainly gets you direct notification of pest/disease threats. MDAR also does inspections on request.
- Official: Apiary Program (honey bees) | Mass.gov

Michigan

Michigan does not require beekeeper/apiary registration or a license (per the state's own page: "We do not maintain a registry of beekeepers or require a license"). MDARD offers fee-based inspections on request and a voluntary hive-mapping tool for pesticide-drift notification.
- Official: MDARD — Apiary Inspections

Minnesota

Minnesota's old mandatory apiary-registration statute was repealed in 2006; no current general registration mandate. Registration is voluntary through the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture's BeeCheck/FieldWatch program (free) — but registering is a prerequisite to be eligible for compensation under the state's pesticide-bee-kill program.
- Official: Apiary Program Information | Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Mississippi

General apiary registration is voluntary for noncommercial/hobbyist beekeepers, administered by the Mississippi Dept. of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC), Bureau of Plant Industry, under the Mississippi Bee Disease Act. Commercial/migratory beekeepers, queen breeders, and package-bee producers must hold inspection certificates before shipping; moving colonies into MS requires an entry permit plus an out-of-state inspection certificate in advance.
- Official: Honey Bee Program — MDAC

Missouri

No general statewide mandatory registration. But within (or within one mile of) a designated eradication zone covering seven counties (Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott, Stoddard), registration is mandatory annually by May 1, with a $5/apiary-location fee (capped at $300). Importing bees requires a certificate of inspection issued within the prior 60 days. Administered by the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture.
- Official: Missouri Dept. of Agriculture — Plant Pest Control

Montana

Montana requires all beekeepers — hobbyist and commercial alike — to register their apiary(ies) with the Montana Dept. of Agriculture's Beekeeper Program. Four categories (Commercial, Landowner, Hobbyist, Pollination) with different hive-count/spacing rules; a $10 fee applies for new/unregistered applicants.
- Official: Beekeeper Program — Montana Dept. of Agriculture

Nebraska

The Nebraska Apiary Act does not establish a general mandatory hive-registration requirement. Its main compliance point is inspection certificates, required before an owner can move or sell colonies/used equipment, administered by the Nebraska Dept. of Agriculture (Bureau of Plant Industry / State Apiarist). Notifiable bee diseases must be reported.
- Official: Apiary Inspection Program | Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Nevada

Nevada Administrative Code Chapter 552 does not impose general statewide registration on apiary owners — it requires posting an identifying sign at the apiary; inspections are available on request for a fee. A permit is required specifically to collect or move honey bee swarms/colonies within the state's Africanized Honey Bee Quarantine area. Administered by the Nevada Dept. of Agriculture.
- Official: Honey Bee — Nevada Department of Agriculture

New Hampshire

Apiary registration is voluntary and free, administered by the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food (Division of Plant Industry). Registering gets you a six-year Voluntary Registration Certificate and pest/disease/pesticide-permit notifications. Inspection fees apply separately (from $20).
- Official: Beekeeping | New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food

New Jersey

New Jersey requires annual registration of all bee yards, particularly where colonies over-winter, with the NJ Dept. of Agriculture — free, done online, for census/disease-epidemiology purposes. Only name and mailing address are public; location and contact details stay confidential.
- Official: NJ Dept. of Agriculture — Beekeeping

New Mexico

Beekeepers with commercial-sized apiaries (15+ colonies north of I-40, or 25+ south of it) must register annually with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA), Entomology & Nursery Industries Section, by November 1; smaller hobbyist operations aren't covered by this specific rule. NMAC cites a $3/apiary fee (capped at $200/beekeeper) and requires pre-import registration/inspection certificates.
- Official: NMDA Apiary Information

New York

All beekeepers, regardless of hive count, must register their apiaries with the NY Department of Agriculture and Markets (mandatory as of December 23, 2021); annual and reported as free. Supports the state's disease/pest inspection and pesticide-notification program.
- Official: NY Ag & Markets — Honey Bee Health

North Carolina

North Carolina's apiary registration, run by the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) Plant Industry Division, is voluntary — beekeepers register hive locations mainly to get advance notice before nearby aerial pesticide spraying. NCDA&CS also runs a separate apiary inspection program.
- Official: NCDA&CS Plant Industry — Apiary Services

North Dakota

North Dakota requires anyone owning/managing honey bees to obtain an annual beekeeper's license, register all hive locations, and post an ID sign at each yard — down to a single colony. Licenses expire December 31 and must be renewed before the new year; administered by the ND Department of Agriculture, Plant Industries Division. Out-of-state colonies need entry approval.
- Official: NDDA — Apiary (Honey Bees)

Ohio

Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 909) requires anyone owning or possessing bees to register their apiary with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) annually by June 1 (new colonies within 30 days); registrations expire May 31. Sources disagree on the current fee — verify the current amount directly with ODA.
- Official (statute): ORC 909.02 — program: navigate from ODA home

Oklahoma

Oklahoma runs a state apiary program under the Oklahoma Apiary Act, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry (ODAFF) Consumer Protection Services — registration is offered as a voluntary (or migratory) beekeeper registration; unregistered/unmarked apiaries risk being treated as abandoned.
- Official: ODAFF Consumer Protection

Oregon

Oregon requires registration only for beekeepers with 5 or more colonies in the state; the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) administers it, annual deadline June 1 (year runs June 1–May 31). Fee: $10 base + $0.50/colony currently, rising to a $20 base after a stated rate change.
- Official: ODA — Bees and Apiaries

Pennsylvania

Under Pennsylvania's Bee Law (1994), the PA Department of Agriculture requires apiary registration, primarily to support seasonal disease/pest inspections and regulate movement of bees/used equipment into and out of state. Fee: $10, covering roughly a two-year period.
- Official: PA Dept. of Agriculture — Apiary & Pollinator Services

Rhode Island

Rhode Island requires all hives, commercial or private, to be registered with the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM), which uses the registry to reach beekeepers about disease/pest issues. Annual renewal, due April 30, via DEM's online portal.
- Official: RI DEM — Apiary Registration

South Carolina

South Carolina has no mandatory statewide hive registry. The SC Department of Plant Industry (at Clemson University) offers a voluntary registration mainly to protect registered apiaries from nearby pesticide spraying and to get priority notice/inspection if disease breaks out nearby.
- Official: Clemson Apiculture & Pollinator Program — Rules & Regs

South Dakota

South Dakota requires beekeepers to register apiaries with the SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Plant Industry Program), due by February 1 each year (or within 10 days of acquiring an apiary); the program also issues permits for moving/importing bees. A per-apiary fee applies — verify the current amount directly.
- Official: SD DANR — Apiary Program

Tennessee

Tennessee requires all honey bee colonies to be registered with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (Office of the State Apiarist), under the Apiary Act of 1995. Renew every 3 years; register online, email plant.certification@tn.gov, or call (615) 837-5137. Registered beekeepers get compensation if colonies are destroyed for disease; failure to register can bring confiscation and a $500 fine. No fee listed.
- Official: Apiary Registration — TN Dept. of Agriculture

Texas

Registration is voluntary, not required by state law. Beekeepers may register annually with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS, at Texas A&M); the regulation (4 Tex. Admin. Code §71.24) uses permissive "may." Registration (~$35/yr) expires August 31 and is required specifically for those doing bee removal work and for interstate movement permits.
- Official: TAIS Regulations

Utah

Utah requires all beekeepers — even with a single hive — to register with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), typically within 30 days of acquiring bees, via UDAF's online AIMS system. Fees are tiered by colony count (a fee-schedule update takes effect July 1 each year) — confirm the current tier. Registered beekeepers get free inspections/testing.
- Official: Apiary Inspection and Beekeeping — UDAF — fee schedule

Vermont

Vermont requires anyone owning bees/hives/apiaries to register in writing with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM), paying a $10 annual fee per apiary location, with an annual report on colony count/location and any disease found (Title 6, Chapter 172).
- Official: Apiary Program — VAAFM

Virginia

Virginia's mandatory rules are narrow: the Virginia Bee Law requires a certificate of health for bees/comb/equipment sold in-state and an Entry Permit from the State Apiarist to import bees or used equipment. Separately, VDACS offers BeeCheck — a free, voluntary apiary-location mapping/registry to help protect hives from pesticide drift. Administered by VDACS Office of Plant Industry Services.
- Official: Beekeeping & Apiary Inspection — VDACS

Washington

Washington requires every person owning one or more hives (plus brokers and out-of-state apiarists operating in WA) to register annually with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) by April 1. Fees range roughly $5–$300 by colony count and broker status. Funds support bee-health research.
- Official: Apiary Reg and Laws — WSDA

West Virginia

West Virginia requires all beekeepers to register with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) within 10 days of acquiring bees, reporting colony count/location. Free, expires June 30 each year, renew annually — apply online or by mail. Governed by WV Code §19-13-4.
- Official: Apiary Registration — WVDA

Wisconsin

Wisconsin does not require state-level hive registration or licensing (per the state's own page). DATCP still administers apiary rules under Wis. Stat. §94.76 (e.g., importing bees/equipment must be reported to DATCP), and local county/municipal ordinances may add requirements — check locally.
- Official: Wisconsin Beekeeping Regulations — DATCP

Wyoming

Wyoming requires registration of all beehives with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (State Veterinarian's office / Plant Industry Program) by April 1 each year, submitting name, contact info, apiary location, and estimated colony count. No fee for hobbyist beekeepers (≤5 hives); larger classes reportedly pay around $25 — confirm the current amount.
- Official: Plant Industry Program — Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture

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Compiled 2026-07-24. Fee figures and deadlines are provided as a convenience and can change year to year — the linked official state page is always the authority. States where a specific fee/scope should be double-checked before relying on it: Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming (fee tiers), and Kentucky (mandatory vs. voluntary scope).